Report: Yankees could pursue Grilli if Robertson signs elsewhere

The New York Yankees are preparing for the possibility David Robertson signs elsewhere as a free agent this winter, and club officials have reportedly discussed Jason Grilli as a candidate to bolster their bullpen if that's the case, according to Sweeny Murti of CBS New York.

Though the Yankees are likely to anoint Dellin Betances their new closer if Robertson finds a new home this winter - one league executive projected him to receive either a three-year deal for $39 million or a four-year deal for $52 million - Grilli could take over as the club's setup man next season.

Grilli, who attended high school in a Syracuse suburb, entered the 2014 season as the Pittsburgh Pirates' closer but endured a turbulent campaign in which he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in June. The 38-year-old right-hander fashioned a 4.00 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP over 62 appearances while managing a 24.3 percent strikeout rate, his worst since 2009.